Apple iOS and iPadOS Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2023-42824)

Apple iOS and iPadOS contain an unspecified vulnerability that allows for local privilege escalation.

Published Oct 4, 2023 · Updated May 29, 2026

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Why patchRisk explained in plain English

Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A local attacker, with a low-privilege account, can achieve full data confidentiality loss, arbitrary modification of data, complete denial of service or system unavailability. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2023-10-26 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This vulnerability affects Apple iOS and iPadOS. The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 16.7.1 and iPadOS 16.7.1. A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.6. Exploitation requires local access, low attack complexity, a low-privilege authenticated account, and no user interaction required.

Am I affected?Quick check

Probably yes if any of these apply:

●Apple Device Administrators

●Endpoint Security

●IT Security

●Running ipados: v < 16.7.1, 17.0 ≤ v < 17.0.3; iphone os: v < 16.7.1, 17.0 ≤ v < 17.0.3

Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-10-05 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2023-10-26.

How to patch

Get the fix

Apply the fixed package from your vendor. The advisory lists affected versions and the exact fixed build.

↗ Vendor advisory

Manual remediation steps

Identify affected hosts: query inventory for general installs in scope.

Apply the vendor security update referenced in CVE-2023-42824's advisory. No specific KB/version is encoded yet — consult the linked MSRC/vendor URL.

Verify the fix per the vendor's published verification steps.

Document the remediation in your change ticket and re-scan with your vulnerability scanner to confirm closure.

PowerShell automationComing soon

No tested PowerShell script for this entry yet. We’re prioritising automation based on user demand.

References